CVE-2022-0313 in Float Menu Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/21/2022
The Float menu WordPress plugin before 4.3.1 does not have CSRF check in place when deleting menu, which could allow attackers to make a logged in admin delete them via a CSRF attack
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2022
The CVE-2022-0313 vulnerability affects the Float menu WordPress plugin version 4.3.0 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of administrative operations within WordPress environments. This vulnerability stems from the absence of proper cross-site request forgery protection mechanisms when performing menu deletion actions, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors who can manipulate authenticated administrators into executing unintended operations without their knowledge or consent. The flaw specifically targets the administrative interface of the plugin, where menu deletion functionality lacks the necessary security tokens required to validate the authenticity of requests originating from legitimate administrative sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in the plugin's security architecture, as it fails to incorporate CSRF protection measures that are standard practice in modern web application development. When an administrator navigates to the Float menu plugin interface and attempts to delete a menu item, the plugin should validate that the request originates from a legitimate administrative session through the use of anti-CSRF tokens. Without this validation, attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in other parts of the WordPress installation to submit deletion requests on behalf of authenticated administrators. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the plugin's administrative functionality and leveraging the trust relationship between the authenticated user and the WordPress administration interface.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-0313 extends beyond simple menu deletion, as it represents a potential pathway for more extensive compromise within WordPress environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can not only remove menu items but potentially disrupt the user experience, remove critical navigation elements, or even manipulate the plugin's configuration in ways that could lead to further exploitation. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and authentication validation, as it allows unauthorized operations to be performed by authenticated users without proper verification of their intent. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where administrators frequently visit multiple websites or where the WordPress installation is exposed to various external threats, as the CSRF attack can be executed through social engineering or by embedding malicious content in legitimate-looking web pages.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and represents a clear violation of the security principle that all administrative operations should be protected against unauthorized execution. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through manipulation of web application interfaces, as attackers can leverage the authenticated session to perform administrative actions that may not be immediately apparent to the victim. Organizations using the Float menu plugin version 4.3.0 or earlier face significant risk of operational disruption and potential data integrity compromise, as the vulnerability can be exploited to modify the website's navigation structure in ways that could impact user experience or provide attackers with additional attack vectors. The remediation strategy involves immediate upgrade to version 4.3.1 or later, which implements proper CSRF protection mechanisms, including the generation and validation of anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative operations within the plugin's interface.